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Between 1962 and 1977, BMW introduced the Neue Klasse (German for New Class) model range which were a great leap forward for the company. They were innovative new products that not only marked the carmaker’s recovery from its earlier financial crisis but also started the reputation of the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’.

In 2025, BMW will introduce another range of NEUE KLASSE models and as with the original range 60 years earlier, the models will be pioneering with a technology platform that will set new standards in digitalisation, sustainability and design for electric vehicles (EVs).

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With the new Spider variant of the Roma, Ferrari adds another convertible to its range which also replaces the Portofino M that was launched in 2020. The Roma Spider has much of its platform similar to the coupe (which was introduced in Malaysia in September 2021) but with a folding fabric soft-top in place of the solid metal roof.

Recalling the Italian lifestyle of the 1950s and 1960s, the Roma Spider marks a return of a soft-top to the sportscar maker’s range on a front-engined model 54 years after the 1969 365 GTS4. It’s also the first soft-top convertible from Ferrari since the F430 18 years ago.

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Unless you work with Audi – and with the R&D department – you would not be able to drive those camouflaged prototypes that are seen in spy photos or even officially shown by the carmaker. They are usually super secret vehicles and only driven outside the factory premises when necessary for real-world testing.

Now Audi of America offers 75 customers a chance to feel like they are driving one of those prototypes with the RS e-tron GT ‘project_513/2’. This is a limited run model which closely resembles the prototype car. It has the original design used for global prototype testing with “e-tron” camouflage script on both the exterior and interior.

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With the target of 10,000 charging points for electric vehicles (EVs) by the end of 2025 set by the government, the race is on to build the network around the country. What is important is to have a comprehensive network that will enable people to travel further away from the city where they live. If they can feel confident of locating a charging points along the way when they go to, say, Desaru, for a holiday, then they would not be hesitant about owning an EV.

There are hundreds of charging points already installed but they are operated by different companies which have different systems and apps to make payment. It can be bit of a hassle for motorists to have multiple apps and also to locate the charging points of a specific network.

A consolidation of networks would make things more convenient and that is what Green EV Charge Sdn Bhd has done by signing a tripartite roaming agreement with EV Connection Sdn Bhd and Yinson GreenTech (YGT). This will enable cross-tracking and cross-access charging of EVs on the Gentari (via Setel), JomCharge and chargEV mobile apps.

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While there is a push to get people to switch to electric vehicles (EVs), apart from issues like the recharging infrastructure, the cost of purchasing such vehicle remains higher than similarly sized models with combustion engines. Much of it has to do with the cost of the technologies which are still fairly young, and the huge costs of R&D spent at this time.

For this reason, the auto industry needs the help of governments to also offer incentives that can offset the high purchase prices in the short-term. Various incentives are being given and in Malaysia, the government is exempting EVs from all import duties and even roadtax for a few years.

But the fact remains that for a properly engineered EV of a practical size (we’re not talking about the tiny 2-seater mini EVs), the price still cannot be level with similarly-sized combustion vehicles. There is a downward trend though as economies of scale are slowly kicking in with volumes rising quickly. Some carmakers believe that they will be able to produce EVs at around similar costs as combustion vehicles by the second half of this decade.

One of them is Volkswagen which will have a model costing less than 25,000 euros, which is equivalent to around RM120,000 at today’s exchange rates. This will be ‘full-value’ EV with many high-tech features and is part of the carmaker’s electric offensive which will see 10 new EVs by 2026.

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The updated 2023 BMW 320i M Sport, 330i M Sport and 330e M Sport launched in January are joined by another two variants of the G20 generation – the M340i xDrive and 330Li M Sport. As with the variants introduced earlier, these two additional ones also have similar refreshed exteriors and a redesigned interior, including the BMW Curved Display.

“The BMW 3-Series has been a consistent and excellent representation of BMW’s values and promise of Sheer Driving Pleasure. A global bestseller, the BMW 3-Series’ inherent qualities of sportiness, comfort, efficiency and innovation resonate strongly with Malaysians as well, propelling it forward as the best-selling premium executive sedan here year after year,” said Hans de Visser, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia.

“Holding strongly to our belief that the ‘Power of Choice’ should be firmly in the hands of our customers, we are pleased to introduce two new additions to the New BMW 3-Series line-up in Malaysia,” he said.

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While the move towards electric vehicles (EVs) has been going on over the past decade, it has only recently gained more attention from the Malaysian government which sees increased use of EVs as one way to meet its carbon neutrality goal by 2050.

While promotion of EVs and providing incentives like tax exemption are approaches being taken, government agencies also need to have a greater understanding of these new energy vehicles in order to formulate the appropriate policies for years to come.

The auto industry is also playing its part to help in different aspects and GWM Malaysia, the local subsidiary of China’s Great Wall Motors, is among those keen to work closely with the authorities. As an example of the support it can give, GWM Malaysia recently presented an ORA GOOD CAT 500 Ultra to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to use for test-drives over the next few months to learn more about EVs.

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At the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, Kia displayed the Concept EV9 which was expected to be the new flagship SUV of the brand. And with electrification underway, it would be a battery electric vehicle (BEV). 16 months later, here are the first pictures of the production model – Kia’s first 3-row electric flagship SUV – with the official global debut to take place towards the end of the month.

“The Kia EV9 breaks new ground, aiming to redefine standards for design, connectivity, usability and environmental responsibility,” said Karim Habib, Executive Vice-President and Head of the Kia Global Design Centre. “The Kia EV9 offers customers an exceptionally high-quality proposition and a fresh EV perspective in the family SUV sector. This new vehicle typology provides instinctive experiences and excellent comfort for not just the driver, but all occupants, through innovative use of space, technology and design.”

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When one spends over a million ringgit on a car, it can be taken for granted that it will be of the highest quality with the best materials. If it is a sports model, then it would be expected to deliver truly high performance. And where comfort is concerned, that’s a given – with emphasis on the rear accommodation taking precedence over the front (unless it’s a convertible which would usually be driven by the owner).

Bentley’s Azure range, introduced in May last year, goes beyond the realms of just being comfortable. With this range – available for all Bentley models – the wellbeing of the occupants is paramount and not only is there superlative comfort along the way but the occupants can also arrive at their destination in an even better shape, more relaxed than when they left home or office.

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When local production of motor vehicles in Malaysia started in 1967, the vehicles were assembled from parts imported from factories in other countries. The parts came in what are known as completely knocked-down (CKD) packs – just like a Tamiya scale model – and were assembled in the factory.

Some parts – like seatbelts, windscreen glass, tyres and wire harnesses – were supplied by local companies that were established but the larger parts like bodyshells and engines still came from overseas. It was not feasible in the early years to produce the body parts which required huge and expensive presses to stamp the steel panels. These required larger volumes than what the local car market had in the 1960s and 1970s.

When the Malaysian National Car project was started, the idea was to boost volume and with economies of scale, stamping of body panels could be done. This was one of the major investments Proton made in 1984 and it was the first company to make its own body panels for the Proton Saga.

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